Alistair Overeem Leaves Xtreme Couture

One month ago, Alistair Overeem (Pictured) revealed he had joined the talented team at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Nevada to prepare for his UFC 141 top contender bout against Brock Lesnar. Unfortunately for the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion, circumstances have forced him to leave the gym and return home to the Netherlands.

“I am now training for Lesnar in Holland,” Overeem shared in his blog for Yahoo! Sports. “I flew back about a week ago. I don’t want to go too deep into personal matters, but what happened was my mother is recovering from cancer and needs my support.

“She needs me in Holland over the next couple of weeks and I came back for her.”

While having to break camp and start anew so close to showtime would significantly disturb some fighters, the veteran of 47 mixed martial arts bouts believes the move will actually allow him to prepare full bore for his impending brawl with Brock.

“What I can say is that going back to Holland to be with my mother won’t be a distraction; it is actually stopping me from getting distracted,” Overeem expressed. “If I stayed in Las Vegas for this camp, I would be constantly worried about her and my focus would have been compromised. Now I can train 100 percent, and know she’s just across town.”

Despite the unexpected turn his training camp has experienced, Overeem’s confidence in his ability to perform when the curtain is drawn on December 30th hasn’t wavered one bit. In fact, he stands by the bold statement he made last month when the two sat just inches away from each other.

“Training is going well for my UFC debut,” Lesnar. “I said it when I was sat on a stage next to him, and I will repeat it here, I am not underestimating Lesnar, but I will rip him apart piece by piece and go on to win Junior dos Santos’ UFC heavyweight title after I dispense of Lesnar.”